Silicone antifoam composition and method using same

Abstract

There is provided herein a composition which comprises a silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component containing a polyether moeity (a); and, a water-soluble and/or water dispersible gas-processing component (b); said composition being substantially free of metal oxide-filled non-polyether moiety-containing silicone fluid. There is also provided herein a method for processing a gas comprising treating the gas with said composition.

1 . A composition which comprises:
 (a) a silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component containing a polyether moiety; and,   (b) a water-soluble and/or water dispersible gas-processing component; said composition being substantially free of metal oxide-filled non-polyether moiety-containing silicone fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) is a pendant and/or linear structure. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) is hydrolyzable and/or non-hydrolyzable. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) comprises at least one moiety selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide and butylene oxide. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) comprises at least one polydimethylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene co-polymer and/or terpolymer. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein the polydimethylsiloxane-polyoxyalkylene co-polymer and/or terpolymer and has a polydimethylsiloxane portion bound to a polyoxyalkylene portion wherein the polyoxyalkylene portion is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene, polyoxypropylene and polyoxybutylene. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer of silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) is substantially filled with metal oxide. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , wherein silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer that is substantially filled with metal oxide is substantially filled with particulate silica. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the particulate silica is selected from the group consisting of fumed silica, precipitated silica, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) has a molecular weight of from about 1,500 to about 100,000. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein silicone pendant copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) has a molecular weight of from about 7,000 to about 50,000 and contains an ethylene oxide to propylene oxide weight ratio of from about 1:4 to about 4:4. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble and/or water-dispersible gas-processing component (b) is at least one gas-treating agent. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble and/or water-dispersible gas-processing component (b) is at least one gas-treating agent selected from the group consisting of alkanolamine and alkylamine. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble and/or water-dispersible gas-processing component (b) is at least one gas-treating agent wherein the gas-treating agent is an alkanolamine selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, triethanolamine, N-methyldiethanolamine, monomethylethanolamine, (2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble and/or water-dispersible gas-processing component (b) is at least one gas-treating agent wherein the gas-treating agent is an alkylamine selected from the group consisting of monoalkylamine, dialkylamine, and trialkylamine. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , which further comprises polypropylene glycol. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1 , which further comprises water. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the polypropylene glycol and silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) are in a polypropylene glycol to silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component (a) weight ratio range of approximately 1:20 to 200:1. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is an antifoaming gas-processing composition that retains its antifoaming ability for at least a period of 1 week. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is an antifoaming gas-processing composition that exhibits less fouling than a gas-processing composition that contains metal oxide-filled non-polyether moeity-containing silicone fluid. 
     
     
         21 . A method for processing a gas comprising treating the gas with a composition which comprises:
 (a) a silicone copolymer and/or terpolymer component containing a polyether moeity; and,   (b) a water-soluble and/or water dispersible gas-processing component; said composition being substantially free of metal oxide-filled non-polyether moiety-containing silicone fluid.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas is at least substantially methane. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas-processing component (b) is regenerated by a gas desorption process. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein treating the gas comprises lowering or substantially removing an amount of at least one base-reactive impurity wherein the impurity is at least one selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide and sulfhydryl-containing compounds. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas-processing component (b) is a gas-treating agent that is reclaimed by a gas desorption process. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas-processing component (b) is a gas sweetening amine that is reclaimed by a gas desorption process. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the composition is an antifoaming gas-processing composition that retains its antifoaming ability for at least a period of 1 week. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the composition is an antifoaming gas-processing composition that exhibits less fouling than a gas-processing composition that contains metal oxide-filled non-polyether moiety-containing silicone fluid.